Board of Health votes to require COVID-19 vaccine for Nevada college students
LAS VEGAS (KSNV) — All college students in Nevada will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 before the spring 2022 semester after the State Board of Health passed new regulations Friday.
State health board members passed the emergency regulation by a unanimous vote Friday afternoon. The vote came after almost three hours of public comment, with most speakers opposed to the mandate.
RELATED | Nevada Gov. Sisolak addresses large gathering COVID policy
Students at all Nevada universities, state colleges and community colleges enrolling in spring classes must show proof of vaccination by Nov. 1, 2021, according to the new rules.
The requirement will affect over 100,000 students at Nevada's higher education institutions.
Staff and faculty are already required to be vaccinated or take weekly tests under Governor Steve Sisolak's new policy announced last month.
The mandate does not affect admission for the fall 2021 semester, which begins this month.
The State Board of Health decision comes after the Nevada System of Higher Education released a statement saying NSHE didn't have the legal authority to require the vaccine.
